New calf born to descendant of last orca captured in Washington waters
Mar 25, 2025, 9:09 AM | Updated: 9:19 am
L94 and her new calf L127 in 2023 (Photo courtesy of Center for Whale Research)
(Photo courtesy of Center for Whale Research)
WASHINGTON 鈥� Good news for the orca population on the west coast!
The Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) announced that a new Bigg鈥檚 orca calf has been spotted in the Salish Sea. The calf was first seen as part of a group of more than a dozen orcas on March 20 between Port Townsend and the San Juan Islands. It was subsequently resighted several times over the weekend, the PWWA said.
A reminder that Bigg鈥檚 orcas are transient whales that hunt other mammals, like seals, sea lions and porpoises. Their population is about 400. The southern resident orcas, which consists of three pods, are the ones that eat only Chinook salmon, but some studies show they have been known to eat other types of salmon. Their population is about 73.
While the southern residents have been struggling with its population in the last decade or so, PWWA said the Bigg鈥檚 killer whales are having a baby boom.
Bigg鈥檚 orca 鈥淪edna鈥� (T046B3) was seen swimming alongside what is believed to be her calf. This is 14-year-old Sedna鈥檚 first known calf.
鈥淚n the images, you can still see fetal folds, along with distinctive orange coloration,鈥� shares Erin Gless, the PWWA鈥檚 executive director, referring to creases in the calf鈥檚 skin as a result of being scrunched inside its mother鈥檚 belly. 鈥淭hese factors are normal and indicate the calf is quite young, likely a week or two at most.鈥�
Sedna is part of a well-known family of orcas. In 1976, her grandmother, 鈥淲ake鈥� (T046) was one of six whales captured in the Budd Inlet and held by Sea World. This capture was on the heels of a time when orcas were rounded up, captured and sent to aqua parks like Sea World and the Miami Seaquarium. The most famous of these captures was in August 1970, where over 80 orcas were rounded up in Penn Cove for captivity.
Ralph Munro, assistant to then-Governor Dan Evans, witnessed the captures while sailing with friends and was appalled. Munro helped file a lawsuit against Sea World, leading to the whales鈥� release.
Wake鈥檚 group were the last killer whales to be captured in U.S. waters.
Wake is responsible for eight assumed calves, 16 grand-calves, and six great grand-calves.
鈥淲ithout the direct efforts of Ralph Munro, at least 30 Bigg鈥檚 killer whales would have never been born,鈥� PWWA said.
Munro died at the age of 81, just last week.
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